Paris by the Numbers – 4th

My Paris by the Numbers series continues this week with the 4th arrondissement, one of the most popular in the city as it is packed with monuments. As I mentioned last week, there are 20 arrondissements in Paris and I’m covering each and every one over the next few months. The landmarks I have chosen in each neighborhood are the ones that appealed to us, so this won’t be an inclusive list of sites for each neighborhood.

As a side note, theTravelsketcher and I have been very fortunate to have visited Paris on many occasions. When we lived in Normandie, Paris was just two hours away by train, so we visited often and became familiar with this enchanting city.

Situated on the right bank of the River Seine is the 4th arrondissement of Paris and, as I mentioned above, one of the most popular areas of the city. Here you’ll find Notre-Dame de Paris, Île Saint-Louis, the Georges Pompidou Center, shopping and restaurants.

The most famous monument in the 4th, and probably the most famous cathedral in the world is Notre-Dame de Paris. We have been fortunate to have visited Notre-Dame many times and found the history to be completely amazing. Construction on the cathedral began in 1160, and took many more years to complete. It is rich with architectural ingenuity, including flying buttresses, gargoyles, statues of saints and kings and rose windows, just to name a few, all of which are beautifully showcase its French Gothic architectural style.

On our first two visits, the exterior of the cathedral was covered with scaffolding, so we were thrilled on our next visit when the scaffolding was finally gone.

Also on our first visit, in the spring of 1998, theTravelsketcher and I climbed the 367 steps to explore the belfry, et, bien sur (of course) we climbed the next set of 147 steps to the top of the south tower, whew! The view from the top is absolutely amazing. Once you start climbing, or descending, there’s no place to stop, and there are people in front of you and behind you, so this climb is not for everyone. Unfortunately, most of my photos from this visit are packed away in storage, so I have just a few to share.

The fire on April 15, 2019 caused tremendous damage, but the repairs are nearly finished and it will reopen on December 8th of this year.

The statues of saints and kings on the outside of the building are very interesting, also with their own intriguing history. This one is of St. Denis, the first Bishop of Paris. Apparently he ended up on the wrong side of the Roman authorities, and was beheaded. Legend has it that after his beheading, he picked up his head and walked several miles north, preaching to onlookers as he walked. The area where he finally fell and died is known as St. Denis.

Le Centre Pompidou was commissioned by Georges Pompidou, president of France between 1962 – 1968. Pompidou envisioned a space to celebrate the visual arts under one roof.

The center was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano and British architect Richard Rogers and opened in 1977. Due to its unique design, many were less than thrilled with the new center calling it a “blight on the city’s skyline”. Hmm, that’s what the Parisians said about le Tour Eiffel; c’est très intéressant, n’est ce pas?

Île Saint-Louis is another lovely place to visit in the 4th. It is one of two islands in the Seine and is where you’ll find Notre-Dame. It’s one of the more affluent neighborhoods with lots of shops and restaurants. Wandering here and snapping photos is always a treat.

Pont Saint-Louis is a pedestrian only bridge that connects Île Saint-Louis with Île de la Cité and is a popular location for buskers.

The 16th century church of Saint-Jacques de la Boucherie is located between Notre-Dame de Paris and Le Centre Pompidou. It was mostly destroyed in 1797, but the tower is still standing. It was the departure point for pilgrims heading to the Santiago de Compostela.

And, as always, just wandering through the neighborhood is a feast for the eyes.

And, as always, we found some delicious meals.

Black and White collection:

This wraps up the 4th arrondissement; what do you think? As always, I would love to hear from you so feel free to share your thoughts and comments.

If you’d like to read more in the Paris by the Numbers series, click here.

If you’re curious about what we’re up to at the moment, click here to read theTravelsketcher’s post.

Wishing you grand adventures,

Tricia